Tag: prepare
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Changing How We See Trouble

Think with me about the word tribulation… If that is a hard word to get your head around, pick something like these: struggle, hardship. What words do you think of when you think of those words? Do you think of words like pain, suffering, or hurt? When you think of your emotional response in such…
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Getting Ready to Do Good

Why is it that some people seem to be always ready to lend a hand, help a friend, touch a life; and for others it is work? Why is it that others are always grumpy, caustic, or quick with a slicing comment? Why is it that some people always have a verse, poem, or song…
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Committed to the Cross

Some seem to want to change the message of the cross. Some want to make the gospel message all about becoming better people. This removes the offense of the cross. Is that what it’s all about? Some change the message so that it is only concerned with social justice and taking care of the poor…
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Preparing for Worship – Our Vision of God

What would it be like to just say, all the time and without stopping, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come”? Does it strike you as fun? Does it fulfill your felt needs? I suspect that the answer to those questions is, “No.” So, why do…
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A God-Sized Life

In Acts 4 we read this incredible thing: 32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of…
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Can I Be Courageous?

Fear does crazy things to us. It changes how we look at the world around us. It’s like we develop tunnel vision. We only see two things: the thing we fear and a means of escape. We lose sight of our strengths. We forget that we have a reason to not be afraid. It’s time…
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Preparing to be Courageous

Have you considered what it takes to be courageous? Do you think of courage as the exclusive domain of the fearless? Courage isn’t just available to those who don’t feel fear. It is also available to any who will prepare. Prepare. What do I mean by prepare? The simple definition of preparation is to consistently…
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Understanding the Real Struggle

Our world is just so real. There are real rocks, real trees, and real people. Everyday, we get ourselves ready to deal with those real things. We follow road signs. We listen to people. We use training and skills for work. We feel ready. (for the most part!)
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Jesus-Minded Enough To Make a Difference

“I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.” – Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians (9:23) Think on that for a moment. Paul, who is our example in so many ways of the Christ-minded person, had at the back of his mind…
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Preparing to be Courageous
Have you considered what it takes to be courageous? Do you think of courage as the exclusive domain of the fearless? Courage isn’t just available to those who don’t feel fear. It is also available to any who will prepare. Prepare. What do I mean by prepare? The simple definition of preparation is to consistently…